


Make the Yule-tide gay

by TheArtificialDane



Series: The Brightest Timeline [44]
Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Christmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:53:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21821254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArtificialDane/pseuds/TheArtificialDane
Summary: Vanjie wasn’t nervous, not really, but he knew how much of a mayonnaise jar Brooke was, and he had never celebrated White Christmas before.~ ~ ~Our boys are celebrating Christmas at the Hayhoes for the first time, and there's no way that can go wrong - right?
Relationships: Brooke Lynn Hytes/Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
Series: The Brightest Timeline [44]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1400260
Comments: 47
Kudos: 113





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work takes place in continuation of "I (K)need you now", and this will make a lot more sense if you read that first.

The familiar tone of a Facetime waiting screen was keeping Brooke company as he was putting toothpaste on his toothbrush, a towel slung low on his hips as he had just come from the shower.

_“Hey stud.”_

Brooke looked down, a smile on his lips as he saw Vanjie on the phone screen that he had rested against his hotel mirror. Vanjie was lying on their couch, his hair sticking up in all different directions, and Brooke was sure he hadn’t left the house so far that day.

“He-” Brooke nearly choked on his toothpaste, and he quickly took the brush out of his mouth. “Hey.”

_“You drunk?”_

“Not this time.” Brooke chuckled. He had indeed been drunk quite a few times, the hole in his chest from how much he missed his boyfriend only growing bigger and bigger the longer he was away on his christmas tour.

He had finished most of it, just a few stops left, but it hadn’t gone easier as he had expected. Actually, it had only gotten harder to be away.

Brooke had stopped drinking on the tour, the numbers of time a 35 year old man could call his boyfriend drunk and crying over the fact that he missed him without it getting embarrassing very very limited, and Brooke was way beyond that line.

_“Why you calling me all naked then?”_

“What?” Brooke squinted slightly, and he realised that it did actually look like he was naked in the tiny screen on his phone.

“Oh-” Brooke laughed. “I’m not.” Brooke got up on his toes, his white towel showing up too. “Sorry.”

 _“That too damn bad.”_ Vanjie smirked. _“You hot stuff as always.”_

Brooke laughed, Vanjie’s warm appreciation of him so very soothing after a long day of performing in drag.

“Do you want me to take it off?” Brooke was already reaching for the knot, ready to get naked for his boyfriend while he did his evening routine, Vanjie loving watching him when he was just doing normal everyday stuff.

Brooke had found it weird at first, Vanjie apparently enjoying the sight of his naked body even if he wasn’t aroused at all, but it was comforting in it’s own way, nice to know that he was loved just as he was, even if the version of just who he was right now was someone who happened to go to the gym several times a week.

 _“Nah.”_ Vanjie looked down, his eyes focusing anywhere but on the screen. _“We good.”_

“... No?” Brooke stopped, Vanjie’s answer confusing him. “Are you okay?”

 _“You ain’t gotta act like that.”_ Vanjie huffed, even though he was smiling. _“I’m fine-”_

Brooke could hear that Vanjie was lying, his heart clenching. “Jose.”

 _“Bitch I ain’t dying, it just-”_ Vanjie moved, rolling onto his side. _“The knee hurts like a motherfucking.”_ Vanjie sighed, his boyfriend looking impossibly small. _“You hot as fuck, but I ain’t feeling nothing but fuck that shit today"_

Brooke crouched down, putting his arms on the counter, getting as close to the screen as he could. “Aren’t you doing your physical therapy?” 

“Why you think I’m hurting?” Vanjie groaned, and Brooke felt his heart beat in his chest, blood rushing in his ears.

///

_“So-” Brooke is filming a live, the camera focused on his face._

_“This isn’t an easy live to make.” Brooke bites his lip. “But I fucked up.”_

_Brooke is sitting in what looks like an airport in a white hoodie and a black cap._

_“First of all, I want to apologise profoundly. I still have three gigs left in the UK, but I can’t-” Brooke cuts himself off, before he takes a deep breath through his nose._

_“I’m going about this all wrong.”_

_Brooke takes his cap off, and runs his hand through his hair._

_“You might wonder why I’m at the airport when I still have a quarter of my tour left, and some of you have already gotten an email, since I’m canceling the rest of the tour.”_

_Brooke takes a break, as he’s clearly thinking of his phrasing._

_“Being in the UK has been great, it’s always great, but this time-” Brooke moves a little, shuffling to get rid of discomfort._

_“Most of you probably know that in late november, Jose suffered an injury-”_

_The chat blows up, and Brooke smiles a little, his eyes reading it._

_“It’s a simple meniscus tear, so I continued on like I would have if it hadn’t happened. I’ve never had a boyfriend before him, and I didn’t realise-”_

_Brooke bites his lip again, his bottom lip swollen with how he has chewed it._

_“I didn’t expect it to affect me this much, so I went on my christmas tour as planned, but now-”_

_“He’s being a lil bitch-” Farra’s head shows up, her blonde hair falling around her face._

_“Mom!” Brooke bumps her shoulder with his._

_“Just tell them you’ve been a right mess.” Farra smiles, her accent a badly copied british tourist one. “He didn’t even let me go to bed last night. Can you believe that?”_

_“You don’t have to expose me.”_

_“It’s a mother's right baby.” Farra smirks._

_“I have though, been a mess that is-” Brooke moves his hand so both Farra and he is fully in the shot. “I’m sorry I’ve canceled my gigs, but I have to go home.”_

_Farra touches his shoulder, and it’s clear that Brooke is emotional about it._

_“I should probably never have left, but I didn’t know, and.. I’m sorry.”_

_Brooke sighs._

_“I’ll be back in january, I promise, and if you are a ticket holder for any of the events, please email my manager Steve, and we will figure something out-”_

///

“Ho I can’t believe you made me go to the airport in December,” Silky complained. He was sitting on an airport bench, flip flops on his feet and a t-shirt on, Silky refusing to wear sweaters even though it was december. “I ain’t even gotta fly my big black ass nowhere.”

LAX was humming with people, the holiday travelers practically a black mass of sweaty and progressively angry adults and crying children.

“You told me you was ride or die.” Vanjie didn’t look at Silky, his entire body humming with both fear and excitement as he looked out on the crowd. 

His knee was aching, walking with a crutch still strange, but Vanjie needed it when he went out for longer periods of time. 

“Ride or die to the club,” Silky huffed, “not to pick up your boo at the airport.”

“I got you pie, didn’t I?”

Vanjie looked over his shoulder, a smile on his lips. Vanjie had indeed bought Silky a pie, his friend sitting with a silver tin in hand, Silky halfway through a big piece of sweet potato pie.

Vanjie had woken in the middle of the night, Silky sleeping on Brooke’s side of the bed, to his phone vibrating itself off the nightstand. 

At first, Vanjie had panicked, the notification avalanches that had happened so often early in their relationship rarely happening anymore, unless something truly terrible had gone down, so he had grabbed his phone and turned the light on, disturbing Silky who had thankfully just turned on his other side to continue sleeping. 

Vanjie had watched the live, heart in his throat, until Brooke apologized, and he realised what it was actually about, and Vanjie had thrown his phone across the room, actually waking Silky up with a startle. 

It was so typical of Brooke to do something as big as canceling a tour without telling Vanjie about it at all, Vanjie getting the news from the live along with all of Brooke’s fans, the only saving grace after Silky had gone to get his phone the fact that Farra had sent a text with Brooke’s flight number.

“He should be here by now.” Vanjie bit his lip, the worry that he had somehow missed Brooke walking by nagging in the back of his skull.

“He probably buying your christmas present.” Silky smirked, and Vanjie hit him with his crutch.

“Fuck you!”

“Ow!” Silky grabbed his shin. Vanjie hated it, but Silky could very well be right, the image of Brooke in the duty free section picking up cologne not that far from a potential reality. 

Brooke tried to give good gifts, tried to be creative and live up to Vanjie’s expectations, but gift giving wasn’t exactly his boyfriend's greatest strength. 

“Bitch-” Silky groaned. “Why you hurting me when I tell the truth?”

“It ain’t the truth, you don’t know shi-”

Vanjie was so caught up in his minifight with Silky, that he almost missed the call of his name.

“Jose? Is that you?”

Vanjie turned around to see his boyfriend standing behind him, Brooke in his typical travel outfit, three suitcases all around him, his phone in hand like he had been just about to book an Uber.

“What are you doing out here-”

Brooke didn’t get to finish his sentence as Vanjie dropped his crutch and ran towards him, his knee hurting with every step, but Vanjie didn’t care as he got to throw himself in Brooke’s arms, his boyfriend catching and holding him close.

///

“So you’re arriving early?”

“If that’s okay?” Brooke had his phone nudged between his shoulder and his ear. “I found some pretty good tickets, but I don’t want to be a bother-”

“Brock-” Joan’s voice was as stern as it was filled with love. “Our heavenly father can give no better christmas gift than you coming home early.” 

Brooke smiled as he ran a cloth over the last of their kitchen floor, the entire room smelling of lemons.

“Thank you Mommy.”

He had slept off his jetlag, Vanjie refusing to leave his side for the first 24 hours, and as Brooke had taken a look around the apartment, he realised how much of a mistake he had truly made by leaving. 

Vanjie was usually the clean freak between them. He was bad at doing the dishes, and he never did laundry after Brooke had put down the washing machine ban of 2020, but he was usually on top of every surface of the house, their fridge probably the cleanest in all of L.A, and Brooke was lucky if he didn’t get read to filth moments after leaving his socks on the floor or forgetting a half empty cup of coffee somewhere in the apartment.

The kitchen had been a mess, takeaway containers everywhere, and while their floors were usually spotless, it was clear that bending down right now was actually hurting his boyfriend, things lying in strange little piles everywhere.

“How much time will you have for the family?”

“Neither of us will be performing if that’s what you’re asking.” Brooke smiled, his mom knowing him very well. “I’ll be a good boy this christmas and leave Brooke Lynn at home.”

Joan laughed, and Brooke basked in his mother's adoration. 

“If it’s not too much trouble, I’m sure Jose will love the Distillery District Christmas Market, your sister is going with your nieces and-”

Brooke felt his chest bloom with warmth, the fact that he was talking so casually with his mom about his boyfriend, the fact that his mother was actually planning things with the man he loved hitting him with something he was sure Vanjie would call christmas joy.

“Let’s see what he says to the snow before we make any plans Mommy.”

///

As Vanjie tried to close his second suitcase, he realised how much of a mistake he had probably made when he had planned an afternoon of retail therapy with Gia Gunn while Brooke had been away, his suitcase bursting with extra gifts for the children in Brooke’s family.

Vanjie had had way too much time on his hands to online shop, and even though he had only just recovered from the financial scare of not having any bookings while he was recovering, his merch sales had lulled him into a false sense of having more than enough money in the bank to spoil the people he loved.

It was only the second time Vanjie was spending christmas with Brooke in Toronto. The first time he had come with Brooke they had still been brand new, the two of them only popping in at Joan’s place to say hi, the little old lady that had birthed his boyfriend stuffing them full of christmas cookies and hot cocoa before Vanjie had even realised what was going on.

Vanjie wasn’t nervous, not really, but he knew how much of a mayonnaise jar Brooke was, and he had never celebrated White Christmas before.

Brooke had come to his home last year, Anabell showering Brooke in love and Puerto Rican christmas foods. Brooke had taken it all in stride, but Vanjie wasn’t sure he could act as cool as his boyfriend had managed to do in Florida.

“Are you done packing?”

Brooke peeked into their drag room.

“Bitch!” Vanjie threw a shoe and Brooke laughed as it hit the door. “Don’t look!”

“Haven’t you wrapped the presents?” Brooke opened the door slightly, clearly waiting to see if Vanjie would throw another shoe, the room more than stocked with projectiles.

“That don’t matter.”

“Not everyone sneaks a peek at their presents.” Brooke opened the door fully, and stepped inside, a smile playing on his lips.

“If they don't-” Vanjie took the hand Brooke was holding out. “They dumb as fuck.” Brooke pulled him up, Vanjie standing against Brooke’s chest, Brooke grabbing his hip.

///

“Over here!”

Brooke was juggling all of his and Vanjie’s luggage, his boyfriend insisting that he could absolutely handle his own suitcases, but Brooke had taken one look at Vanjie’s crutch, and refused to let him anywear near their stuff.

Brooke located his older brother Steven, the man waving at Brooke from the christmas crowd that was flocking Toronto's international airport.

“Hey.” Brooke gave his brother a brief hug. Steven was a carpenter, and very good at his job, but they had never had much to talk about, Steven loving hockey, beer, hunting and the church when they were growing up, while Brooke had hated all of those things.

“Vanjie!” Brooke looked down to see his little niece Isabella stand with her arms open, holding them towards Vanjie. 

“Hey Issa girl!” Vanjie laughed, crouching down even though Brooke could see that it was painful, the girl running into his arms. 

“Damn, you a grown ass girl now!”

Isabella giggled, and Vanjie blushed as he looked up at Steven.

“Sorry, I need to watch my damned mout- fuck!” 

“It’s cool.” Steven smiled. “She’s heard worse on the show.” 

All of Steven’s kids loved Vanjie, and even though Isabella was only 7, she was obsessed with Drag Race and Drag Race Canada specifically. Her younger brother Ben who was 5 enjoyed Drag Race too, but he didn’t really care that both of his uncles were world famous Drag Queens, when it was so much cooler to play with cars with Uncle Jose, than it was to have Vanjie do his makeup. 

“Was the drive here bad?” Brooke had seen the blankets of snow only get thicker and thicker as they had flown north, the plains of Ontario covered in the most beautiful layers of white.

“Just a lil snow.” Steven smiled. “You know how it i-” Steven stopped, “or maybe you don’t. I guess you don’t get much of it in L.A”

“Not really.” 

Brooke bit his lip, the awkwardness of his young adulthood washing over him. Vanjie was thankfully completely caught up with Isabella, the first gift already in the little girls hands since Vanjie hadn’t been able to keep his fingers from the Mac holiday collection that had been on display in LAX, Vanjie not caring at all that he was giving professional quality makeup to someone who wasn't even a preteen yet.

“Do you need help with the suitcases?” Steven looked down, and Brooke realised that he was effectively juggling 5 suitcases. 

“That’d be nice.” Brooke smiled, a little bit of his worry melting away. “Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas ;)


	2. Chapter 2

“Shit…”

Vanjie looked over at Brooke, who was laying beside him on the teeny tiny twin bed that definitely did not have enough room for two adult males. 

They had been driven to where they were staying for the holidays, Brooke’s big sister Joanna opening the door to her suburban house, and Vanjie loved it. 

It was a real home, signs of the family that lived there everywhere, all five of Joanna and her girlfriend Susanne’s kids home for the holidays, meaning that the house was bustling with noise, life and love, exactly like Vanjie liked it the best.

“Shit indeed.”

They were surrounded by their suitcases, getting everything into the house and up the stairs a real commotion since Vanjie couldn’t help at all. 

Brooke had warned him that getting around would be a struggle, but Vanjie had never actually experienced snow as massive as what was covering Toronto, several feet lying everywhere in gardens and on unused streets, so he hadn't believed Brooke until he had attempted the nearly impossible feat of shuffling through it on crutches. 

They were in one of Brooke’s nieces room, AJ bunking with her sister Madeline to give them a bit of privacy. Vanjie knew Brooke would never admit it, but 17 year old AJ was definitely his favorite niece.

It was all airy and beige, plants everywhere, AJ going all out in completing her aesthetic, which Vanjie recognised from her Instagram.

It was a bit strange to stay in a teenagers room, teenagers now a day a whole lot more stylish than what Vanjie remembered from how his girlfriends back in high school had decorated their room.

Vanjie yawned, the bed soft, the pillow under his head cold against his cheek in just the right way. Joanna had told them she’d get an air mattress from the basement, the bed not big enough for two grown men in any way, but for now Brooke’s knees were simply bent, Vanjie feeling so very tired when they had actually made it to the room. 

“Are you falling asleep?” Brooke raised an eyebrow, his hand gently gliding through Vanjie’s hair, and he leaned into the touch. 

“No.”

“No?” Brooke chuckled. 

Vanjie yawned again. “We gotta decorate those cookies.”

He hated how tired he got, how much energy something as simple as moving around took out of him, the consequences of the exact effort everything required not actually hitting him since he had mainly stayed home so far in his recovery, someone almost always with him.

“That’s not until after dinner.” Brooke kissed his forehead, reaching for the duvet and pulling it up and over Vanjie, his eyes falling shut. “Sleep well Papi.”

////

Brooke watched as Joanna and Susanne were finishing off the rest of dinner, a cup of coffee in his hand, their youngest - Jacob and Johannes, running around their feet. 

Joanna hadn’t come out as a lesbian until after years of marriage to her now ex husband, Emma, AJ and Madeline all coming from that marriage that had started when Joanna was 19.

Brooke was pretty sure she hadn’t even known she was actually into woman until she had met Susanne at work, but he had never spoken about it with her, though Joanna had hugged him extra tight the first time they had seen each other after she had come out, Brooke thinking to himself that she had thanked him for coming out first, even though he hadn’t had much of a choice in the matter.

“Brockie can you set the table?” Joanna looked over her shoulder, a giant pot of mashed potatoes on the stove.

“With the good plates please?” Sus chimed in.

“Ay ay lesbos.” Brooke stood up, doing a salute which made Joanna laugh as she threw her tea towel after him, Brooke catching it and leaving it on the kitchen table before he made his way to the dining room. 

Brooke couldn’t remember the last time he had spent the night at a family members house, the fact that he was 35 meaning that he was more than able to afford a hotel room, which Brooke more than preferred, even though he liked his family.

Those arguments hadn’t worked on his Puerto Rican boyfriend however, the family values he had grown up with so far from the WASP environment Brooke had become an adult in, so Brooke had called up his siblings, Joanna thankfully agreeing to take them in after Brooke had learned his lesson last christmas.

Brooke had tried to offer a hotel the first time he had gone to Florida in december, but Anabell Cancel had taken it as a personal offense, Brooke not even realising how much he had put his foot in his mouth until he suddenly had to reassure his mother in -law that he didn’t hate her, Vanjie yelling at him for making his mom upset.

“Ow!” 

Brooke looked into the hallway, the characteristic voice of his boyfriend calling throughout the house. 

Vanjie had stepped on a miniature horse, the little piece of plastic digging into his foot. He was making his way down the stairs without his crutch, his hand clutching the railing. Vanjie was struggling to navigate the staircase, the obstacle course of toys that always seemed to spring out of thin air when kids were around not making it any easier.

“Are you okay?” Brooke put the stack of plates he had just taken from the cabinet down, his lip between his teeth with worry, his anxiety kicking into overdrive as he imagined all the ways it could go wrong. “Do you need my help?”

“Ain’t no task I can’t overcome.”

It was slow work, but Vanjie finally made it down the final step, and Brooke felt oddly proud of the feat, Vanjie looking more than pleased with himself.

“You getting me my price?”

“Your price?”

Vanjie smiled and puckered his lips, and Brooke laughed. Vanjie was impossible to resist, and Brooke abandoned his table setting to walk over to his boyfriend, Vanjie putting his arms around his shoulders as Brooke kissed him.

They both got slightly lost in it, neither of them noticing the other presence in the hall until they heard a click, both of them looking up to see AJ stand with her camera.

“Hi uncle J.” 

“Hey?”

“Can you do that again?”

“The kiss?”

“Yes please.” AJ smiled as she looked on the screen of her black Canon. “I think I need to use a different light setting.”

Vanjie looked slightly confused, but Brooke just laughed. Joan had told him that AJ was working on her college portfolios, her high school teacher telling her she needed more portraits instead of still lives, and Brooke had even put AJ in contact with Courtney, his niece coming along to one of his Toronto gigs in the upcoming months to practice.

“Well, you don’t ever need to beg me to kiss my man twice.” Vanjie smirked, tightening his grip around Brooke’s shoulders, and Brooke hummed with delight as Vanjie kissed him again, the pecks sweet, warm and absolutely perfect.

///

“Yo, can I get some more of those green beans?”

“Of course.” Susanne handed Vanjie the dish, and Vanjie filled his plate with his second helping.

Vanjie had been worried for a hot second when they had sat down if Brooke had forgotten to tell his sister that he was a pescetarian, those kind of details more often than not escaping Brooke.

The worry had been whisked away however, when Emma, the couples oldest who was studying law, had placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered that she had remembered to tell her moms. 

“This is real good Sus.”

“Thank you.” Susanne smiled, the brunette clearly shining bright with the peace of having her entire family around.

///

“Brockie!”

Brooke looked up, a call coming from downstairs. Brooke was unpacking their stuff in AJ’s room and blowing up the air mattress, Jacob and Johannes both hanging off of him. Jacob in particular was extremely fascinated with his uncle, Brooke winning his entire heart as he had allowed the little boy to take a swing on his bicep, Brooke making a note to himself to wrestle with them whenever he had a chance over the holiday. 

“It’s decorations time!”

Jacob and Johannes tumbled off Brooke’s back, Brooke laughing as the two boys raced downstairs to get to the cookies that had just come fresh from the oven.

Brooke put the cork in the mattress, Vanjie of course getting the bed though Brooke was very unsure how sleeping on what was essentially the floor would actually work, but it would have to, since Brooke had already seen more of enough of Vanjie being uncomfortable and in pain.

Brooke made his way downstairs, taking the stairs two at a time, a small smile on his lips as all the toys had mysteriously disappeared. He made a turn on his way to the kitchen, his eyes briefly gliding over the living room, the fireplace roaring and Brooke stopped when he saw Vanjie sit by it, Madeline on the floor in front of him.

“What are you two doing?”

Both looked up at the exact same time, matching expressions of fake innocence on their faces, but Madeline was the first to speak.

“Nothing!”

“Yup, ain’t shit to see here-” Vanjie was clearly trying so very hard, but he broke into giggles, Madeline following right behind, and Brooke walked into the living room, his interest piqued.

Vanjie’s crutch was covered in stickers, and Brooke actually recognised a few from Madelines craft stash, his sisters youngest girl someone who was always working on something, and Brooke was more than sure that she’d end up somewhere in the world of graphic design as she was always drawing, crafting or building something.

“Well the nothing looks good.” Brooke smiled, and Vanjie beamed, his boyfriend more than pleased with the fact that there was no way they could return the crutch to the hospital now.

///

“Yo! Anyone wanna dribble that white icing on over here?”

Vanjie hadn’t expected to not only like, but actively love decorating cookies. It was absolute chaos, five children and four adults meaning that the kitchen table was a complete mess, icing and all the tools that were apparently required spread everywhere, as well as cups of cocoa and coffee and tea.

Vanjie had tasted one of the sugar cookies right out of the oven, and he was happy he had since it was hard not to put everything the kids had touched directly on his no eat list.

“Here.” Joanna smiled as she handed Vanjie the piping bag he had required.

“Thanks babe! You the best.” Vanjie took the bag, his plan slowly coming together. He had down several perfectly normal cookies, a regular army of hearts on the tray next to him.

Vanjie could hear Brooke chuckle, his boyfriend working on a gingerbread house with AJ, their creation absolutely decadent and Vanjie saw his chance to grab two round sugar cookies that Brooke hadn’t gotten around to yet.

“Anyone got a long ass cookie?” Vanjie looked around the table, trying to spot anything rectangular. 

“I have an extra door.” 

Vanjie looked to his right, and AJ handed him one from their house, Susanne apparently knowing her kids enough that she had made extras of all the important components. 

“You a treasure.” Vanjie took it and he bit his lip as he tried to keep a grin off his face. Vanjie was stacking the cookies, one on top of the other, when he felt Brooke put an arm around his shoulder, his man leaning against his side, his mouth right next to his ear.

“If you make anything that resembles a penis even slightly-“ Brooke whispered, his warm breath making shivers run down his spine. “I’m going to spank you so hard you won’t be able to sit until the New Year.”

Vanjie’s breath caught in his throat, his cheeks turning burning hot, his jeans suddenly more than uncomfortable to be in, and it was the exact attention Vanjie craved.

Brooke rarely threatened to spank him, and thankfully it was something Vanjie almost never desired, actually pushing Brooke to the point where he wanted to take Vanjie apart so fully something that could easily take an entire day of top tier bratty effort, but it was always beyond delicious when it actually happened.

“And when you gonna do that stud?” Vanjie looked at Brooke out of the corner of his eye as he put his cookies together, “We with your fam.”

Vanjie formed his cookies to look exactly like a dick, his face breaking into a smirk, but before he could even grab his back of icing, Brooke flicked the rectangle with his fingers, the gingerbread breaking apart.

“Hey!”

Brooke bit Vanjie’s ear, the sharp pain shooting through him and vanjie yelped, accidentally knocking over a cup of cocoa, the entire table jumping up to save their christmas creations. 

///

If there was one thing that was clear, it was the fact that Brooke wasn’t a teen or even a young adult anymore. There was a time where he could fall asleep anywhere, he and Angela crashing together in the strangest of places after a night out, but laying on an air mattress really reminded Brooke of how old he had gotten.

It wasn’t the worst place he had ever slept, bunks in tour busses sometimes way worse, but he missed his bed at home.

Vanjie had bought it for the both of them as a gift to Brooke the birthday after Vanjie had finished his run on All Stars, and it was the softest thing in the entire world, the mattresses just right, the bed big enough that Brooke could actually stretch out and get proper comfy. 

Vanjie had originally said it was because he was tired of hearing about Brooke’s back problems - something he never actually did - but it was probably just a cover that acted as an excuse for the distressed look Brooke always saw in Vanjie’s face whenever he was in pain because of a bad night's sleep. 

“You really gonna sleep down there?”

Brooke looked up and over on Vanjie, his boyfriend burrowed in a cocoon of blankets, Vanjie always wrapping himself up tight when he slept alone.

“I miss you,” Vanjie pouted, a small smirk playing underneath, but Brooke could also sense the truth to Vanjie’s words, and even though they had been together all day, they hadn’t actually really seen each other.

“I’m right here.” Brooke reached out, and Vanjie grabbed his hand, both of their arms hanging off their beds. Brooke ran his thumb over Vanjie’s knuckles.

“You sure there ain’t space up here?” 

Vanjie bit his lip, and Brooke smiled. “I promised my Mommy I’d be a good christian boy this Christmas.”

“Well,” Vanjie sat up, letting go of Brooke’s hand. “I don’t see your Mama nowhere.” Vanjie scooted in, lifting his blankets up, and Brooke laughed. He grabbed his own, Vanjie throwing his bad leg over him as Brooke crawled into the bed. There was barely any space, but it was okay, at least for the night, as Vanjie burrowed his face in his neck, Brooke falling asleep with his man cuddled against him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to soft central, and have a holly jolly christmas.

Vanjie was watching the fire that was roaring in the fireplace, his body relaxed and warm, his leg hoisted up on the ottoman, his knee barely aching at all.

He and Brooke had woken up cuddled together that morning, Brooke groaning as he had gotten out of bed and attempted to stretch out, the position they had slept in causing havoc on his spine, a dark cloud of discomfort hanging over Brooke’s head.

Vanjie had done his physical therapy, knowing that the best thing he could do was leave Brooke alone to do his morning routine, both of them drowning their pills before they got dressed together, Brooke still prickly right up until Jacob had busted into their room, the little boy yelling from the top of his lungs that breakfast was ready and that they were having waffles.

Vanjie took a sip of his coffee, another round of snow falling during the night, so all the kids and Brooke had gone outside to play it in as soon as they had finished breakfast, Joanna slapping Brooke’s hand away when he had gone in for his fifth waffle.

Vanjie had watched from the windows at first, AJ and Brooke helping Johannes build a giant snowman. Vanjie had taken several pictures of it for his group chat with Silky and A’keria, A’keria responding with a picture of his nephew in his christmas gear, while Silky had asked both of them to quit being such domestic bitches, not that it stopped him for snapping his own photo of his grandmas christmas buffet spread.

Vanjie felt his phone vibrate, and he took it from where he had stuffed it into the cushion, Brooke asking him if he wanted him to bring down the blue or green sweater from his suitcase.

Everyone was upstairs getting ready, the family going to the Toronto Christmas Market, and Vanjie was equal parts excited, and worried about being on his feet for an entire day. 

_ Green one please mountain man. _

Vanjie had only just sent off his text, when the front door opened, a rush of cold air let in.

“Hello? Anyone here?!”

Vanjie turned around, not recognising the voice until he saw the face, Brooke’s mom coming into the house wrapped up in a giant purple winter jacket.

“Joan!” Vanjie smiled brightly, grabbing his crutch to greet her at the door.

“Oh, no no don’t get up for my sake!” Joan quickly unzipped her jacket, taking her hat, scarf and gloves off, a tiny little grey haired woman coming out of the bundle. 

Vanjie knew that Joan had birthed his boyfriend, knew it was his mom, but it was still insane to him that his 6’3 man came from a woman that was smaller than Vanjie.

“Where is everyone else?”

“They still getting dressed.” Vanjie watched as Joan walked into the living room, giving him a gentle hug before she settled down in the chair next to him.

“Let’s just wait then.” Joan rubbed her hands together, before she held them out towards the fire. “Are you going to the market in that?” She looked him up and down, Vanjie in a t-shirt and jeans.

“Brock’s bringing my ass a sweater.” Vanjie shrugged.

“Good.” Joan smiled, leaning back in her chair. “How’s the knee doing? Brock told me it’s been acting up?”

“He did?” Vanjie smiled brightly, the fact that Brooke talked about him to his mom so very sweet. 

“Bitc-” Vanjie quickly cut himself too, Joan probably not one to appreciate his cursing. “It going fine. I’ma be right back to high kicks on that stage before you know it.”

“As long as you take care of yourself.” Joan reached out, gently touching his hand that was resting on the armrest, her little old lady hand so very delicate. 

“My mother heart has always worried so much about Brockie and all the wild moves he does-“

Vanjie tried to hide a snort, the fact that Brooke had done cartwheels with broken toes in Europe probably not something he had told his mom.

“- and it can’t help but carry the burden of worrying about you too.”

Vanjie had no idea what to say, Joan’s earnesty heartbreakingly sweet, the fact that she counted Vanjie as someone she cared about making tears collect in his eyes, even as his cheeks were hurting from how much he was smiling.

///

“Take a left-”

“I know how to listen to the GPS Brockie.” Joanna cut him off, and Brooke smiled, settling into his seat. 

Brooke had come downstairs to see Vanjie and his mom sit by the fire, the two of them chatting away. 

It still felt a little scary each time Brooke saw Vanjie spend time with his mom, the fear that she’d say something terrible to him almost always there as a teeny tiny voice in the back of his head. It was hard, if not actually impossible for Brooke to fully let go of his childhood worries about his parents homophobia, how they had told him they’d never accept him still haunting him in moments of insecurity, even though his mom had changed so very much since then.

Brooke had handed the sweater to Vanjie, everyone getting dressed in their jackets and hurrying to the car, the grandkids all wanting to ride with grandma, which meant that it was only Emma, Joanna, Brooke and Susanne that rode in the family van. 

“So-” Brooke turned his head to look down at Vanjie, his boyfriend crawling under his arm the moment they had settled in. “Why’s every bitch freaking out ‘bout this market?”

“You’ll see-” Brooke kissed Vanjie’s temple. “You’re going to love it.”

Joanna dropped them off in front of the market before driving on to find parking, his sister as always ever so thoughtful, and Brooke only needed to take a single look at the road to know that it wouldn’t have been very fun for Vanjie to navigate the icy parking lot. 

“Shit-”

Brooke heard Vanjie curse under his breath, his boyfriend attempting to zip his leather jacket, while still leaning on his crutch.

“Here.” Brooke grabbed the sides of Vanjie’s jacket, easily slotting them into each other, the move one he had done what felt like a million times before.

“I don’t need your help.” Vanjie huffed.

“I know.” Brooke smiled, pulling the zip up, Vanjie’s protest very clearly superficial though his strange sense of pride often came up at the weirdest of times. “But you’re getting it anyway.” Brooke kissed him, and Vanjie hummed into the kiss.

“Uncle J!”

Brooke felt something hit his leg, and as he looked down, he saw Isabella with her arms wrapped around them, the little girl smiling brightly.

“Hey munchkin!” Vanjie broke free from Brooke’s hug, putting an arm around Isabella. They both looked around, Steven, his wife Rebecca and Ben waving to them from what looked like half a mile away, Isabella apparently running off the minute she saw them.

“This your winter jacket?” Vanjie pulled at the hood.

“Mmh!” Isabella smiled brightly. “It’s Elsa!” The little girl held out her arms, twirling around, her puffer jacket a snow blue with glitter all over it.

“I wish my jacket was that cool.” Vanjie smiled, taking Isabella's hand, the two of them chatting about Isabella’s favorite Disney movies while the rest of the family gathered around, children suddenly everywhere as everyone hugged and greeted each other.

“Hey.” Brooke gave his brother a quick hug, Steven looking even more like a lumberjack in his winter outfit. “Long time no see.” Brooke joked, immediately wishing that he hadn’t, though Steven smiled.

“Good to see you too.” 

Brooke bit his tongue, awkwardness filling his body and he had no idea what to say or how to stop feeling dread run down his spine. Brooke knew Steven would probably love to hear about the snowmen they had built, but somehow, the story died on his lips.

“He’s pretty enthusiastic, huh?”

Steven looked after Vanjie, who had already been dragged into the market, Johannes and Isabella almost fighting over who got to see santa with Uncle J.

“That’s one way to describe it.” Brooke smiled, the subject of Vanjie one he knew like the back of his hand. 

There were a million small shops at the market, Brooke already watching Vanjie’s ADHD get out of whack as he couldn’t help but look at every blinking light and every single sparkly thing he came across. 

“Do you wanna get a beer?” 

Brooke looked at his brother, Steven pointing his thumb at a microbrewery, a giant sign outside telling them that they had every kind of speciality beer you could possibly imagine, Brooke’s interest immediately getting caught by one that promised it tasted like raspberry.

Brooke felt a sigh of relief leave him. Steven was always talking about how he wanted to start making beer in his basement, and since Brooke didn’t hate the beverage, they had a topic they could talk about without it ever being weird or uncomfortable. 

“I’d love that.”

///

“Which one you think my Mamas gonna like?” 

Vanjie was combing through the display in a little shop that had more christmas ornaments than Vanjie ever remembered seeing in his adult life. 

“This one?” Vanjie held a bauble up, “or this one?” followed by another one.

“Are we looking for your drag mom or your mom mom?” 

Madeline smiled as pulled her hat further down on her head, making sure she was covering her ears, a chill in the air even though every store had heat lamps set up. 

“Shit, you a smart cookie.” Vanjie laughed. “I was only gonna get one for my Mama Mama, but you right. Drag mommies deserve love at christmas too.” Vanjie put the baubles down. “Maybe I should just get one for everybody…”

“They can write on them too, if you order it?”

Vanjie’s head snapped, his eyes focusing on Madeline. “They can what?!”

“Isn’t it cool?” Madeline smiled, Vanjie already pulling a bunch of ornaments down.

///

Brooke had forgotten how much he loved the christmas market. 

Sure. He wasn’t into holiday decorations, didn’t believe in santa, didn’t really love the extreme commercialism of the holiday, but if there was one thing he did love, it was eating, and if there was one perfect excuse to try one of everything, it was a christmas market. 

Brooke was starting to feel more than full, but he had also gone straight from beer with Steven to a meat pie, picking up a chimney cake as he had walked to where the market signs had promised him he could buy a tornado potato. 

Brooke was wandering around alone, none of his family members interested in joining his food expeditions, but people online had raved about the markets foot long hot dog with sauerkraut, and Brooke refused to leave without tasting it. 

He knew that he was slowly putting on a pretty severe layer of christmas weight, that he’d have to throw in more than a few extra trip to the gym when they got home, and that he would have to watch what he ate in January like a hawk, but if everyone else could be jolly, he could eat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted to.

“Yo, what you want a cripple to do with an open cup?” 

Brooke stopped dead in his tracks, his boyfriend's voice traveling through the market. Brooke turned around, looking for the source, when he heard Vanjie again.

“What you mean you can’t fix - How you supposed to drink this then? You selling people shit they can’t use!” 

Brooke finally caught sight of his boyfriend, Vanjie standing in front of a shop that sold mulled apple cider, fighting with the shop owner.

“Hey.” Brooke walked up, putting his hand on the small of Vanjie’s back, the other man looking up at him. “Are you okay?”

“They ain’t got nowhere to sit!” Vanjie threw out his arms, “and they don’t got no lids!”

“I saw a bench a street down.” Brooke took Vanjie’s drink, knowing that the only thing he could really do to deescalate the situation was making sure that Vanjie got out. 

“Fine.” Vanjie huffed, his boyfriend sending the shop owner a serious stink eye as they walked away. 

“Fuck that ablist asshole.” Vanjie grumbled, and Brooke felt bad for a moment, like he hadn’t lived up to his role as boyfriend since he had left Vanjie’s side to wander on his own.

“I’m sorry big gu-”

when he actually caught up to what Vanjie was saying.

“Wait, who taught you that?” Brooke sat down, dusting a bit of snow away before Vanjie dumped down next to him.

“A hoe can’t read?” Vanjie scoffed. “I ain’t fucking stupid.”

“A ho can read.” Brooke watched as Vanjie took a sip of his drink. “But it doesn’t seem like a you word.” 

Vanjie wrinkled his nose, the cider clearly not sweet enough to his taste, and Brooke laughed. 

“I called Nina while you was away.” Vanjie shrugged. “Missed your ass, and then we got talking and shit.”

Brooke smiled, his arm going around Vanjie’s shoulder, his boyfriend snuggling into his side. Vanjie handed Brooke the cup, and he took a drink. 

“It sucks being on a crutch.”

“I know Papi.” Brooke kissed his temple. “I know.”

///

It was apparently also a christmas tradition in the Hayhoe family to all gather at grandmas after a day at the market. 

They had all eaten the christmas cookies they had made the day before, Joan pouring drinks and serving everyone in her little kitchen, Brooke’s hand protectively laid on Vanjie’s inner thigh. 

If you looked from the outside the gesture seemed very sweet, but Vanjie knew that it was Brooke’s way of telling him that he would happily murder him in cold blood if he as much as thought to breath a word of the penis cookie to anyone, either adult or kid.

After tea, Joan had sent a delegation off to Swiss Chalet for dinner, the little woman happily declaring that they should all enjoy Brooke’s favorite since he was home for the holidays. 

Vanjie had nearly bit his tongue in half in an attempt to keep a laugh in when he saw the absolute look of horror and panic on Brooke’s face, his boyfriend way too full to truly enjoy the meal, but also too polite to tell his mother that he didn’t want her gesture.

The younger kids were all gathered around the TV, Rebecca taking a nap in Joans bedroom since she had been hit with a headache, the adults and teens either out for a walk or on their way home from Swiss Chalet with dinner. 

Vanjie was sitting with his phone by the window, the sound of A Christmas Carol on the TV in the background as he did a live with the stuff he had gotten at the christmas market. 

“Jose?” 

Vanjie heard Joan’s voice, and he paused, a little cat ornament in his hand that he had been showing to his fans.

“Do you want another cup of tea?” 

Joan walked into the screen, teapot in hand, her eyes widening when she realised what she had done. 

“Oh no, I’m so sorry-”

“Don’t you worry Joan, we was almost done anyway.” Vanjie picked up his phone, the chat filling up with happy fans over the fact that Joan had appeared. 

“Y’all, say hi to Mama Brock.” Joan smiled, and she quickly corrected her hair a little. “This is one of my fave little ladies in the world.”

Joan laughed, her cheeks blushing. 

“How can you not love a Mama in law that’s this cute?”

Vanjie titled the camera to show the teapot, which made Joan laugh again while Vanjie quickly said goodbye to his stream, putting his phone in his pocket before he grabbed his cup from the window still, holding it up to Joan so she could pour him another mug,

“Thanks for the tea.”

“You’re very sweet with your fans.” Joan put the pot down, a small smile on her face. 

“How you know that?"

“I’m not online, don’t worry. Kids should be allowed to have secrets from their mothers.” Joan smiled. “AJ shows me things from Instagram sometimes.”

Vanjie chuckled, AJ often popping up in both his and Brooke’s streams. 

“She a dope ass teen. You Hayhoes make them right.”

“I’m not sure Brock would agree that he was a-” Joan tasted the word, clearly chewing it over before she repeated it. “Dope ass teen.”

“I’ve seen photos.” Vanjie had indeed, the stalking capabilities of their fans sometimes working out to his advantage, especially when they dug up adorable photos of his man. 

“That cowboy hat one?” Vanjie gestured to his own head, forming a cowboy hat with his hand. “Cute as fuck.”

“He got it during summer vacation. Wore it to school every day.” Joan chuckled, and Vanjie saw how much she truly loved her son.  “You should see the photos from when he first got his braces.”

Vanjie’s eyes widened. He had only ever seen Brooke wear braces in the cowboy hat photo, and while he was pretty sure Brooke had them in the church photo that was in Joan’s living room, teenage Brooke had his mouth stubbornly shut.

“You got photos of that?”

“I’m his mommy? Of course I have photos of my bab-” Joan looked confused, but then, her eyes widened as well. 

“Oh. “ Joan paused for a minute, clearly thinking. 

“Do you…” Joan stopped again, and Vanjie could see her weigh the pros and cons, Vanjie himself even a little worried that Brooke would get mad, but his desire to see the teenage version of his man far overshadowed any doubt he had. 

“Do you want to see the pictures?” Joan smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I was very into scrapbooking for a while.”

“Joan.” Vanjie got out of his chair, “I’ve ain’t never wanted anything more in my whole ass life.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the rating change!

Vanjie had no idea that heaven on earth was actually a pink velvet couch in an apartment in Etobicoke, near Toronto, Ontario in Canada, and yet, here he was .

Joan had gone to get the photo albums, the little old lady with four thick binders all stacked on top of each other. She had sat down, their thighs touching as she opened the first one, and Vanjie had felt like screaming with joy.

Every photo of Brooke was absolute perfection in all of their awkward, cute, funny and sometimes straight up strange.

Vanjie had seen a few early photos of Brooke, fans once in a while digging up absolute treasures on the internet. Angela, who was an absolute angel on earth, had sent him several pictures from Brooke’s early twenties when they had lived together in South Africa, but this, this was how he imagined archeologists felt when they found something ancient and absolutely precious.

It was a treasure trove he had never dared to imagine, and he was almost afraid to touch.

“This is Brockie and his best friend from elementary school-” Joan lifted the album slightly, Vanjie leaning in to better see the photo.

“They dressed like eggs for Halloween that year.” Joan chuckled, her voice warm with fodness and memories. “I never really found out why, but it meant a lot to him.”

“Shit…” Vanjie took the album, his heart melting at how absolute cute his boyfriend was. Brooke was inside a white shell, his face painted yellow, another blonde tiny child next to him in a brown shell with a yellow face too. 

“Mama that’s some profesh level costumes.”

Joan laughed, launching into a story of how all the church moms used to come together to make outfits for their kids, and Vanjie soaked up every single thing she said.

Vanjie had seen Brooke in christmas outfits that matched the entire family, beach pics with Brooke as red as a lobster since he had refused to stay still for sunscreen, and even a few photos of Brooke in teeny tiny suits from big family events.

“I actually think…” Joan closed the album they had been looking at, quickly rifling through her stack. “I have to have some from when he did musical theater.”

Vanjie’s eyes widened, that news the best thing he had heard all day.

///

“Mommy! We’re back!” Brooke yelled into the apartment, his arms filled with Swiss Chalet, Susanne throwing him out of the car in front of the building so the food wouldn’t get cold. 

“Where do you want us to put the food?” Brooke toed his shoes off, waiting a beat for his mom to respond, but all he could hear was the sound of Frozen on the TV. 

“Mommy?”

Brooke went to the kitchen, looking for her. He had expected to find the table all set, but the plates were still in the cupboards. Brooke put the food down, his interest piqued at what could have distracted his mom, but as he walked into the living room, he got his answer.

Vanjie and Joan were sitting side by side on the couch, Brooke only seeing the back of their heads. 

They had clearly not seen him, so Brooke decided to do what any son in his 30s would do. Scare the ever living crap out of them, Brooke tiptoed to the couch, but as he got closer, he heard something truly disturbing.

“This is from the first day of middle school.” Brooke watched his mom hold something up, Vanjie practically jumping.

“Holy shit!” Vanjie’s voice was vibrating with happiness, excitement rolling off his boyfriend in waves. “Oh my god”

“He told me he used to steal my curlers-” Joan was clearly smiling, her voice warm and happy, “he always wanted to make sure his hair was styled just rig-”

It was in that moment that Brooke felt his body turn to ice, his mind suddenly connecting the dots as he recognised the story his mom was telling.

“MOM!”

///

Vanjie pushed the front door of the apartment building open. It had sucked to get down the stairs on his crutch, but he did feel kind of responsible for what had happened, and dinner was ready to get served so he had volunteered.

“You done freezing?” Vanjie stepped outside, the Canadian winter wind cuttingly cold. 

“You don’t need to come get me.” Brooke was standing on the curb, irritation radiating from him, and Vanjie couldn’t help but smile. He knew Brooke would be smoking if he had the option, and was secretly happy that his boyfriend was once again in one of his no smoking periodes.

“So you still mad?” Vanjie walked over the sidewalk, careful to watch where he placed his feet.

“I’m not mad.” Brooke kicked the snow with his boot, looking anywhere but directly at Vanjie. 

“You seem real not mad.” Vanjie crossed his arms, watching Brooke who just growled.

“How would you feel if I-” Brooke cut himself off. “No, no. Nevermind.”

“If you what?” Vanjie raised a brow, not sure why Brooke was actually so annoyed. “You acting like you ain’t already seen my baby bum. My mama showed you those pics before you even got to her house.”

“It’s not the same.”

“How?”

“This wasn’t baby pictures-” Brooke shoved his hands in his pockets. “That was awkward, terrible preteen-” Brooke groaned, cutting himself off again.

“You came out the womb looking like a superstar, I had over 20 years of looking…”

“Real cute?”

“Shut up.” Brooke smiled, and Vanjie finally felt the breakthrough, could feel that he had started to annoy his boyfriend into getting soft once again.

“My mama made me right.” Vanjie smirked, and Brooke snorted. “And yours made you too.” 

“You’re just saying that because you’re dating me.” Brooke sighed.

Vanjie wasn’t proud of it, but he loved it whenever Brooke felt insecure. He never wanted Brooke to feel bad, but it was nice to know that he was not the only one that worried about putting his best foot forward with his boyfriend, wasn’t the only one who could feel embarrassed.

It was nice to see overly confident, perfect Brooke show a bit of vulnerability because Vanjie loved Brooke, awkward baby photos and all.

“And what if I am?” 

Brooke huffed. “Come on.”

“Hey,” Vanjie walked over, Brooke jacket open even though it was freezing, and Vanjie had to bite his lip not to laugh as he grabbed it. “Lil Jose would’ave loved to kiss that brace face of yours.”

“Sure.” Brooke rolled his eyes, but Vanjie could see that it was working.

“Bitch, it my privilege and my fucking right to find any incarnation of your hot stuff cute” Vanjie smiled. “Officiato part of the boyfriend package.”

Brooke laughed, wrapping his arms and his jacket around Vanjie as he pulled him in for a hug. 

“You’re impossible to stay mad at.”

“You got that in writing?” Vanjie smiled into Brooke’s chest, the smell, warmth and feeling of his boyfriend surrounding him. “Cause I could use the documentation for your crazy ass.” 

“Shut up.” 

Brooke kissed his hair, and Vanjie chuckled.

///

Brooke woke up to a heavy weight on his arm. 

It was Christmas Eves day, and Brooke knew there was yet another entire day ahead of family things for the Hayhoe Family. 

Brooke looked down on his arm, a little surprised, but not really as he saw that Vanjie had sneaked from the bed to his mattress during the night. It was nearly flat, the weight of two adult men not really something an air mattress could withstand, but it didn’t really matter to Brooke as he got to look down at Vanjie’s sleeping face.

Vanjie was gorgeous, his long black lashes that Brooke was always a little jealous off fanning his face, his skin so very inviting to the touch, and Brooke couldn’t keep his hands to himself. 

He turned around, careful not to jostle Vanjie and wake him up, Brooe moving until they were both laying chest to chest, his hand genty gliding down Vanjie’s side underneath the duvet.

He loved touched his boyfriend, loved mapping him out with his palm, loved touching his hip and his ribs.

Vanjie moved even closer, letting out a happy little sigh as he snuggled into the nook of Brooke’s elbow.

He hadn’t expected it to be so hard to keep his hands off of Vanjie for four days, but it was. It was nearing a mild torture that they hadn’t shared anything but brief kisses, the thick sweaters and long jeans they both wore the only reason Brooke hadn’t jumped Vanjie, along with the fact that they were literally surrounded by kids at all times. 

It was the Hayhoe family tradition to go ice skating, and then end the day with dinner at his brothers before the Christmas spectacular of unwrapping presents came around on Christmas day. 

Brooke pressed a quick kiss to Vanjie’s temple, when he heard his boyfriend mumble.

“Bitch-” Brooke leaned back, looking down at Vanjie who hadn’t even opened his eyes. “You better correct those traveling hands, or I’ma smack you.”

Brooke chuckled, Vanjie’s complaint only meaning that he wanted to tease him more.

“Morning to you too-”

Brooke pinched Vanjie, which made the other man yelp, Brooke careful not to crush his knee.

“Fuck you!” Vanjie smacked his arm, his eyes wide open now.

Brooke caught his lips in a kiss, and Vanjie’s hands went limp immediately, his entire body relaxing under his touch.

Brooke knew they shouldn’t, but it was so easy to roll on top of Vanjie, so very easy to let the kiss deep, so very, very, very easy to fall into his boyfriend.

“Mmh-”

Brooke’s hips bucked at Vanjie’s moan, another one following right behind at the thrust, and Brooke groaned. 

It would be so easy to push Vanjie’s pyjama bottoms down, so easy to hold his thighs together and fuck him. Brooke moved his hips again, moans falling from both of their lips.

“Wait.” Vanjie broke the kiss. “Wait wait wait wait.” Vanjie pushed at Brooke’s shoulder. “Wait-”

“Fuck…” Brooke groaned, and hid his head in Vanjie’s neck, which only made Vanjie laugh.

“I know stud-” Vanjie petted the back of Brooke’s head, his fingers playing with the soft hair there. “I know.”

///

Vanjie had happily declared himself king of the hot chocolate station on the side of the ice rink. Brooke had told him that he didn’t need to come, but Vanjie hadn’t wanted to miss out, even if he couldn’t go on the ice himself.

Making sure everyone had something hot to drink, was a nice way to participate, without actually being involved with the mess that was ice skating on the 24th. 

Vanjie held his cup between his hands, his fingers more than happy with the hot liquid that tried to keep them warm. 

Vanjie watched Brooke who was skating with Ben, Brooke holding the little boys hands as he helped him skate. 

Vanjie was wearing a pair of Stevens boots, and three pair of wool socks to make them fit, Steven’s wife Rebecca bringing them for him without Vanjie even asking since she had seen the sneakers he had worn to the Christmas market. 

“Uncle!” 

Vanjie watched as AJ came skating over, her hair flying behind her, her camera around her neck.

“Hey AJ.” AJ stopped, pausing by the fence. 

“Can you shoot a few frames of me?” AJ smiled, already pulling her camera over her head. “I’ve practiced this new jump, and I want to show it on my Instagram.”

She handed Vanjie the camera, the weight of it actually scaring him a little.

“You sure? I ain’t ever used a fancy ass cam like this.”

“It’s easy.” AJ smiled. “I’d ask Brock, but he always messes up.” AJ quickly shoved him how to shoot, babbling on about light settings and shutter speed, and Vanjie didn’t understand any of it.

“I don’t think I can remember all of that baby girl.” 

“Just try your best.” AJ put the strap around Vanjie’s neck. “We’re doing it for the gram.”

///

“Shit.” Brooke bit his lip as the garage lights didn’t turn on. They were all gathered at Steven’s house, Jacob, Emma and Isabella all decorating the tree, Vanjie asleep on the couch with Johannes and Ben in his lap, while Susanne helped Joan and Rebecca finish up dinner. 

Brooke had been sent to the garage to find the extra packs of soda Steven had hidden out there, and Brooke wasn’t coming back empty handed, just because he couldn’t find the right light switch.

Brooke took his phone out of his pocket, using the flashlight to light his way through the garage. The sodas were hidden at the very back, behind the summer tires for the car, and Brooke was trying to dick them out, when he heard a sound behind him.

Brooke turned around, a shadow right there, and he dropped his phone as he yelled.

“Fuck!” 

“Bitch shut up!” Brooke recognised the sound of the voice, the scent hitting him right after. “It me.” 

“Jose?” The phone had hit the floor, the light only illuminating half of the room, everything covered in shadows. “Holy shit, you scared the crap out of me-” 

Brooke didn’t even get to finish his sentence, before Vanjie had grabbed his shirt, forcing him down and capturing his lips in a kiss. 

“Shit-”

Having Vanjie’s tongue in his mouth was pure perfection, Brooke’s entire body rushing with the rightness of finally kissing his boyfriend properly, Vanjie’s everything surrounding him and Brooke grabbed his ass, pulling him against his body.

“Papi-”

“We gotta be quick.” Vanjie growled, his fingers already going for Brooke’s belt buckle, and Brooke nodded.

“Fuck, yes-” Brooke helped Vanjie, quickly pulling his belt from it’s hoops. “Sorr- ah!” Vanjie pulled Brooke’s pants and his underwear down in one quick pull, pushing him back, and Brooke felt his bare ass connect with the side of his brother’s car, Brooke shooting a quick thought of apology to any god that would listen.

“Let me-”

“No-”

Brooke had wanted to help Vanjie with his pants, but his boyfriend had already pulled them down. Vanjie grabbed Brooke’s dick, quickly spit in his own hand before he wrapped it around both of their dicks, Brooke almost feeling his knees buckle.

“Fuuuck-” Brooke groaned, his hips thrusting, the contact like heaven on earth. “Fuck Papi-”

“Hot stud.” Vanjie gasped, both of them almost embarrassingly hard for how little contact they had.

“Love you.” Vanjie got on his toes, and Brooke groaned as the angle changes. “Love you so much-” Vanjie kissed him, but it didn’t feel right, wasn’t what Brooke wanted.

“Need-” Brooke pulled Vanjie closer by the hand on his ass. “Faster-” Brooke groaned, everything drowning.

Vanjie whined, and Brooke knew he couldn’t, his arm trapped between their bodies, but Vanjie had never been as aggressive as him, had never taken with the same delight.

“Here-” Brooke pushed Vanjie’s hand aside, a quick gasp leaving them both as the cold air in the room hit their dicks. 

Brooke grabbed them both, and Vanjie whined, his palm landing on the glass of the car door as he practically collapsed against Brooke’s body.

“Sweet boy-” 

Vanjie groaned, and Brooke worked them hard and fast, squeezing their dicks together, twisting his wrist.

“Pretty boy-”

Vanjie moaned, his mouth hanging open, Brooke feeling the hot breath against his chest. 

“Come for me.” Brooke growled, Vanjie’s entire body shuddering at the command. It was filthy and perfect, everything so hot.

“Please-”

“Do it.”

Vanjie gasped, and he came, Brooke following right behind him, endorphins rushing through his body. 

///

Vanjie was cuddled up to Brooke’s side in the back of the van, Jacob sleeping with his head against the window, mouth right open. 

Coming back from the garage had been a bit of a struggle, Brooke accidentially coming on Vanjie’s sweater, but they had fixed it by pouring soda on top of it, pretending that they had taken so long since a can had exploded.

They had all eaten dinner around the giant table in Steven and Rebecca’s living room, Madeline trying Vanjie’s vegetarian meal and declaring she was done eating meat, Susanne encouraging her, while Joanne looked like someone had kicked her dog. 

“Hey.” 

“Hey.” Vanjie smiled, and snuggled even further into Brooke’s side. He felt warm and happy, connected to Brooke in the most wonderful way. Vanjie had ended up facetiming Nina with Isabella on his lap, the little girl squealing with delight when Nina picked up, the Columbian queen even singing a bit of Drag is Magic.

“Your family is crazy.”

They had all played charades after dinner, Brooke pairing up with AJ while Vanjie had played with Emma, and it had been for the best, Brooke unable to mime even the simplest of things.

“You’re crazy.” Brooke chuckled into his hair. It was a tried and true truth of their relationship that they shouldn’t work together, and Vanjie didn’t mind it one bit. Least of all when he and Emma had won the game by a landslide.

“But in the good way?” Vanjie looked up at Brooke. 

“In the best way.” Brooke smiled, gently pecking Vanjie’s lips.


	5. Chapter 5

Even though Brooke knew with absolute certainty that he never wanted kids on his own, there was something truly magical about preparing christmas for little ones.

Johannes and Jacob were tucked in bed upstairs, Brooke scooping Jacob out of the van to carry him inside. 

Brooke and Vanjie had been tasked with putting all of the presents out, and getting the christmas magic just right, while everyone else had gone to midnight mass at the church.

Joan hadn’t asked if Brooke wanted to come, and Brooke was grateful for it, the fact that she hadn’t one of the pillars of the adult truce between them.

His mother had changed to a different church, one that was even less strict than Brooke’s childhood congregation, and one that was miles away from what Joan had grown up in, but Brooke had nothing in common with his families church anymore. 

Brooke knew that Vanjie wouldn’t have minded going to mass, and they had actually went with Vanjie’s family last year when they had celebrated in Florida, but that had been so different; so far from what Brooke had known as a child that it had been okay, his hand on Vanjie’s knee through the entire service.

“Shit…” Brooke bit his lip as he had just tried - and failed - to stuff the stocking stuffers Vanjie had somehow sneaked across the border for the third time into Isabella’s stocking. 

“I knew I should have double checked your suitcase before we left home.” Brooke looked down at Vanjie, who was on his knees at the fireplace.

“You got a problem?”

“I told you not to bring this much stuff.” Brooke gave Vanjie’s ass a light tap, which immidialaty earned him a killer stare from his boyfriend, Brooke laughing.

“Bitch-“ Vanjie snapped a carrot in half. “If you can’t spoil little ones on christmas, why you even alive?” 

Vanjie was messing up Santa’s plate, breaking up cookies and snapping the carrots, Brooke drinking half of the milk only to make it look like Santa had actually been there for Jacob and Johannes sake.

“Yes, why indeed?” Brooke smiled, Vanjie’s childish enthusiasm and eternal want to make everything perfect of course spilling over into christmas morning.

///

Vanjie woke up to the sound of excited squeals and screeches from downstairs, a giant smile blooming on his face as he realised that the Santa trap had clapped exactly as it was supposed to for the kids. 

“Brock?”

They had ended up moving the mattress from the twin bed to the floor, Brooke halfway on both of them, Vanjie as always snuggled against his side. Normally, he would have cuddled in, but right now, Vanjie shook his shoulder instead.

“Brock, wake up.” Vanjie whispered, his stomach bubbling with excitement. “It’s christmas!” He waited for a beat, and then another, Brooke still fast asleep.

“Bitch wake up!” Vanjie slapped Brooke’s chest, and Brooke’s eyes shot open, his boyfriend sitting up straight. 

“I’m awake!” Brooke held out his hands. “I’m awak-“ Brooke looked around, and Vanjie saw the exact moment Brooke realised he wasn’t late for a booking, his boyfriend yawning before laying back down again, and Vanjie chuckled.

“You a fucking liar.” 

“Mmh.” Brooke put the duvet around both of them, pulling Vanjie down with him. “Merry Christmas.”

Vanjie kissed Brooke’s shoulder, laying in his mans arms more than tempting, and Vanjie actually felt himself nod off, morning cuddles so very cozy Brooke almost, but just almost, succeeded in talking him into taking a morning cat nap.

“Brockster-“ Vanjie smiled, pulling away slightly. “We have to get up.”

Brooke didn’t protest, and Vanjie saw his chance to sit up, the duvet gliding off of him. 

“Wait-“ Brooke reached out, his hair a giant curly mess on top of his head. “Wait.” 

“What?” Vanjie looked down at him, Brooke only just opening his eyes.

“I want to give you your present.” Brooke yawned, hiding it behind his hand.

“I had plenty present yesterday hot stuff.” Vanjie smirked, which makes Brooke snort.

“While I love that you love my dick, It’s an actual present.”

“What you mean? I saw you put shit under the tree.”

“Just wait-“ Brooke reached out for his backpack, and after a bit of rustling, he pulled out an envelope from the front pocket, handing it to Vanjie.

“The fuck is this?” Vanjie took the envelope, turning it over in his hands. 

“It’s your main present.”

Vanjie bit his lip, the envelope worryingly thin. “This better not be no damned gift card.”

“It’s not a gift card.”

Brooke smiled, and Vanjie felt himself relax a little. 

Brooke wasn’t exactly great at giving gifts, most of them simply hitting slightly past the mark, but sometimes, sometimes it was miles past, and since they were lying in bed, since Brooke’s face was so close to his own, there was no way Vanjie could model his face into a lie fast enough if he was genuinely disappointed.

Vanjie opened the envelope, a white piece of paper instead. “The fuck?”

“It’s not blank.” Brooke chuckled and pressed a kiss against Vanjie’s temple. “Turn it over.”

Vanjie turned the paper, his confusion only growing since it looked like a printed photo of an Amazon order. 

“Umh…” Vanjie bit his lip, not at all understanding the gift. 

“So you got me a-“ Vanjie read the paper, “a weighted blanket for christmas?” Vanjie had never heard of them before, but to him, it just looked like a regular duvet. “Thanks?”

“It’s really useful, I promise, it’s for-“ Brooke paused, and Vanjie could see his boyfriend getting shy, his hand settling on his hip before he continued talking. 

“I know you don’t always sleep great when I’m not home, so I figured… If I can’t hold you.” 

Brooke squeezed Vanjie’s hip. “Maybe you’d sleep better with the blanket?”

It was an overly practical, little bit over his boundaries, extremely adult present, but it was also an absolutely perfect and romantic way for Brooke to tell Vanjie that he loved him in his own way.

“Thank you Mami. I love it.”

///

@VanessaVanjie

[Brooke and Vanjie are standing together, Brooke’s arms around Vanjie. Vanjie is looking at the camera. They are wearing matching christmas sweaters in green, red and white, with giant christmas trees on the stomach, Vanjie’s smile as bright as the sun, while Brooke kisses his cheek.]

Merry Christmas from me and the boo @Bhytes1 😇🎄🧡

///

Brooke liked the monotony of making coffee. You couldn’t really do it wrong. Pour the water, fill the filter, flick the heat on and wait. 

It was a great remedy against anxiety, the simple task of repeating the process over and over again to make sure there was enough for everyone very soothing.

Voices traveled from the living room, most of the family gathered there, while Brooke and Susanne were in the kitchen, Susanne cooking up enough pancakes to feed a small army, as well as ham and eggs, and Brooke guessed that they would actually be a small army around the table, the rest of the family arriving any minute for Christmas brunch.

Brooke’s sweater was unbearably itchy, but as Vanjie had pulled them from his suitcase, a giant smile on his face, Brooke hadn’t been able to find it in his heart to say no.

Brooke shook the tin in his hand, looking for another piece of chocolate to munch on while he waited for the coffee, when he suddenly felt the lid snap close on his fingers. 

“Hey!” It hadn’t hurt, but the next thing he knew it was taken from him, Joanna holding it in her hand. “- I was eating that.”

“I can see that.” Joanna snickered, gently padding Brooke’s stomach. 

“Rude.” Brooke crossed his arms, though Joanna was absolutely right, a teeny tiny belly moving in on his stomach for the Christmas season, instead of the abs he usually sprouted. 

“Only looking out for you Brockie.” Joanne smiled. “If you don’t watch out, you’re gonna look like Steven.”

Brooke snorted, Joannas words taking him by surprise. “You bitch.”

They looked at each other, both siblings breaking into laughter at the exact same time.

///

“Wow!” Ben looked up from the massacre of wrapping paper that was surrounding him, the little boy sitting with the special edition Hot Wheels Vanjie had used an entire afternoon cruising around LA with Silky to find.

“Wow!” Ben was utterly fascinated, his eyes glued to the package.

“And what do you say?” Rebecca chimed in, his mother’s gentle voice pulling Ben from his near trance.

Ben looked around, his eyes finally falling on Vanjie’s his entire face breaking into a giant smile of pure childish joy. “Thank you!!”

“You welcome lil man.” Vanjie laughed, the little boy’s enthusiasm a wonder to see. 

Vanjie had expected him to get to his next gift, but instead, Ben got up on his teeny tiny legs, the size of the box comically large compared to the little boy.

Ben grabbed his package, and ran over to Vanjie. “Thanks!”

Ben held the package out to Vanjie, his little face still shining bright. 

“You already said thanks.” Vanjie smiled, a bit confused by Ben’s behavior. “You ain’t gotta do it twice.”

“Open!” Ben thrusted his package towards. 

“You have other pressies lil man?” Vanjie laughed. “Don’t you wanna open those too?”

“Open!” Ben held it up, frustration clear in his voice as he simply did not have the language to ask for more. 

“He’s not gonna stop until you help him.” Rebecca smiled.

“If you sure he don’t gotta open no other Mami.” Vanjie grabbed Ben, easily lifting the little boy up and on his lap, Ben absolutely lost to the world as Vanjie helped him unpack his new cars. 

///

“Thank you for the wonderful gift Brock.” 

Brooke felt his mom kiss his cheek. She had just unwrapped a Chanel nr.5, Brooke sitting on the armrest of her chair.

“You’re welcome Mommy.”

Brooke did feel a little bad, had felt a little bad that he had actually gotten her present at the airport. He hadn’t meant to forget to get her something, but with his tour schedule changing around, combined suddenly packing early and making sure Vanjie was okay, Brooke had simply forgotten until he was suddenly standing in the middle of LAX.

It had been quite the operation to make sure Vanjie hadn’t noticed, Brooke making up a lie about needing the toilet, Vanjie calling him four times as he had stood in line to pay, asking if he needed to get the medical staff since he was taken so long. 

“It’s perfect.” Joan smiled. 

“Merry christmas.”

///

It wasn’t a secret that Vanjie loved showering Brooke with gifts, but even he could see that he had potentially gone a little bit overboard.

Vanjie had bought a regular mountain of gifts for Brooke, but it was hard not to let Brooke’s stack mutate, Vanjie always seeing little things everywhere that reminded him of his boyfriend. 

“This is worse than my 35th birthday.” Brooke smirked, as he took his fourth gift, Vanjie already giving him a watch, new air-pods and movie tickets. 

They had celebrated Brooke’s birthday at Roscoes, the clubs actually fighting for the chance to arrange it, but T-Rex had won by a landslide, the Chicago queen and host truly knowing how to throw the near perfect party.

“Or better depending on what hoe you ask.” Vanjie smiled. He knew Brooke didn’t care as much about the gifts as he did, but it didn’t matter as he got to watch Brooke’s face, the glimpses of surprise, adoration and pleasure, as well as the thank you kisses all he ever needed.

///

Brooke was trying hard not to take a nap on the couch. 

He had read Johannes new books with him, his nephew sitting against Brooke’s side as he had read an entire story together.

Vanjie and Madeline had watched a little theater performance Jacob and Isabella had put on with their new costumes, Spiderman and Elsa apparently attempting to save the world together. 

Isabella had danced a little dance, Brooke watching out of the corner of his eye, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she would one day become a bio queen, Isabella always ready to perform.

Brooke yawned. The fire was roaring, he was filled with breakfast, and the sweater wasn’t even itching anymore.

He was completely at peace.

“Are you feeling the Christmas cheer?”

Brooke turned his head to see AJ, his niece wearing the new denim jacket Vanjie had given her, her iPad in hand. 

“It’s adequate.” Brooke smiled. “Is everything okay?”

“I have a present for you,” AJ sat down next to him on the couch, “but it’s not really a present.”

“Okay?” Brooke raised an eyebrow. 

“Just-“ AJ opened her iPad, and handed it to him. “Here.”

Brooke focused on the screen, butterflies filling his entire stomach, when he realised that he was looking at the picture of he and Vanjie from when they had first arrived, the two of them kissing in the hallway. AJ had done something with the light, a soft golden glow all over the picture.

“This is…” Brooke didn’t know what to say, his tongue completely tied.

“There’s more.”

Brooke flipped to the next picture, and there absolutely was. As he made it through the album, he realised that AJ had taken pictures every single day during the holidays. 

There were pictures of him and Vanjie decorating cookies, the two of them sitting side by side. AJ had captured them at the christmas market, in the cars, at dinners, at breakfast, and there was even a few of them from the ice skating rink, Brooke leaning over the fence, the two of them clearly talking as they were both holding cups of hot chocolate.

“I don’t know-“

Brooke had plenty of pictures of Brooke Lynn and Vanjie, their fans and the professional photographers that came to their shows capturing so many of the big moments in their life.

“Thank you.”

He had never received such a heartfelt gift, had never gotten so many pictures of them simply being Brock and Jose. Two men who love each other very very much.

“Wait, are you crying?”


End file.
